Shelter director sees increase in families and children
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Homeless shelters are preparing to house more people for longer periods of time, as winter weather approaches.
“Very often, we do not have enough,” said Lisa Anderson, executive director of Room in the Inn, as she explained the growing amount of people needing shelter.
Room in the Inn is an organization that opens 7 days a week for families, women, and sometimes even men in Memphis who are experiencing homelessness.
As colder temps roll in, so do more people needing a place to stay warm.
“As the weather gets colder and more dangerous, we start planning to keep people in place for 24 hours a day for a few days,” said Anderson.
The Room in the Inn has about 40 different congregations that house and feed people each night, but sometimes that isn’t enough.
Anderson had to turn away nearly a dozen men away because they were full for the night.
“For Memphis, there is always going to be a need for volunteers to step up and take of people. Who are experiencing homelessness, especially during the cold weather, but every single night there are so many people looking for shelter,” she said.
According to the 2023 point-in-time count by the Community Alliance for the Homeless, there were over 1200 people in Memphis and Shelby County experiencing homelessness.
1100 were using various shelters.
Anderson said there is a certain population she is seeing more.
“I think the things that we have seen change over the past few years is the numbers of people seeking shelter and the numbers of people with children seeking shelter,” she said. “So we see families with children that we are sheltering night to night now and more of those coming.”
If you need assistance or know someone who does, registration is held at 166 Poplar Avenue, 7 days a week. The doors open at 4:30 pm.
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